KOCHI: They can hardly be called footpaths. The pedestrian space made of slabs covering the drains are uneven with gaps that are dangerous. Narrow and wide stretches mar the very concept of footpaths. Some stretches are very narrow and high. The footpaths break at points in a way that in many areas, one cannot step on to the road but would have to jump down. At some spots, the paths are sloping and are difficult to walk on. “How do you expect me to trudge on such pavements and reach home in one piece?” asks Lakshmiamma, an elderly lady. These footpaths are not friendly to the disabled as well. “It is difficult for people who use crutches and can’t afford to travel in vehicles to manoeuvre on such rough spaces,” said a pedestrian walking on crutches. Now, the authorities concerned are tiling the pavements and fixing railings in phases. Neither aesthetics nor functionality has been given a thought. The pavements are not friendly to the old, disabled, ailing, children and pregnant women. Provisions for accessibility and barrier-free buildings are yet to be incorporated as far as new buildings and development work are concerned. “People are not aware of the problems of the disabled, the elderly and ailing. They are also not aware of the building bylaws. Kochi is a much sought-after tourist destination, still, it is yet to have the kind of infrastructure expected of such a spot. It is also a medical tourism hub with many patients coming for ayurveda treatment. Facilities for all means of transport - railway, waterway or roadway - have to be upgraded. There are hardly any ramps and railings. Forget the disabled, even the abled would find it difficult in Kochi. With many flights of stairs, absence lifts or escalators or other arrangements in place, even the rail overbridges are not very friendly,” said Anjalee Agarwal, executive director, Samarthyan National Centre for Accessible Environments.Most of the restaurants and souvenir shops in Fort Kochi are inaccessible for the disabled, the old or ailing as there are many steps at the entry of the store. The metro walk is not up to the mark, she said. There are so many islands linked by waterways but one can’t access the boat due to lack of planks and platforms and other facilities for the disabled to board the boat. “I didn’t come across one toilet which is disabled-friendly in Kochi, even the new buildings such as the Oberon Mall and and IMA House which have ramps and railings do not have disabled-friendly toilets,” she said. Performing art centres and theatres are also not disabled-friendly. “The global trend is Universal Design, the power of design for everyone’s well-being,” she said. Any development work which is being initiated should be well planned with due consideration given to such a section of the society. It should be completely intrinsic from the beginning, she said The provisions for the disabled friendly are yet to be incorporated in the developmental work or new projects, said K J Sohan, Chairman, Town Planning Standing Committee, Kochi Corporation. The same words were echoed by District Planning Officer Girija. The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Participation of Rights and Full Participation) Act 1995, remains a question.
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